Concrete form retaining means



Sept. 10, 1935. s 3 COLT CONCRETE FORM RETAINING MEANS Filed March l6, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR L; ATTORNEY Sept. 10, 1935, 5 s T 2,014,080

CONCRETEFORM RETAINING MEANS Filed March-l6, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATS 7 Claims.

This invention relates to concrete form retaining means, and has reference, more particularly, to novel form wall retaining and spreading dey vices for supporting said walls in assembled condition and in spaced relation against inward collapse.

The invention has for its principal object to provide form wall retaining means capable of in sertion through an opening or openings in a form wall and then moved laterally of said Opening to engage stop means carried by the retaining means in supporting relation to an inner face of the wall.

This invention has fora more specific object to provide a novel removable means, which is capable of repeated use, for cooperation with form walls and their tie-rods, whereby the form walls are not only rigidly held in operative assembled relation, but are likewise positively secured against collapse in desired mutually spread apart 20 or spaced relation. To this end, the present invention provides a. wall penetrable sleeve, capable of insertion or withdrawal by manipulation from the exterior of the form, said sleeve being formed of longitudinally divided or separable 25 parts, one of which is provided at its inner or form penetrating end portion with a wall stop or abutment engageable with the interior surface of the form wall, whereby when the sleeve is operatively associated with form tie means, the

30 wall is internally supported in spread and spaced relation to an opposed wall or the like.

This invention has for a further object to provide a novel form wall engaging means which is cooperative with wall tie means in such manner 35 that the engaging means may be removed from the poured concrete and from the form wall prior to withdrawing the tie means.

This invention has for another object to pro-- vide a novel means for uniting the interior tie rod 40 means with detachable exterior parts thereof so as to form wall spacing units of desired predetermined length cooperative with the form wall engaging means.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time 5 more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in. the accompanying drawings, in

50 which:-

Fig. l is a fragmentary vertical cross section through a form showing the operative form wall retaining relations of the novel wall engaging means and tie means, these parts being shown in 5 side elevation; Fig. 2 is a, fragmentary sectional view showing an exterior end elevation of the form wall engaging means; Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. l, but showing a modified arrangement of tie means for narrow forms; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section, showing one means for fixing the novel Wall engaging means against displacement; Fig. 5 is a View similar to that of Fig. 4 showing a modified means for fixing the wall engaging means against displacement; Fig.

6 is a perspective view of the longitudinally split 10 wall engaging means, with the parts thereof somewhat separated; and Fig. '7 is a sectional view of the means for coupling union interior and exterior parts of the tie rod means.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. l, but showing a modified arrangement of unitary tie rod means with a spacing sleeve thereon cooperative with the novel wall engaging means; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the wall engaging means modified for use as shown in Fig. 8, this view being drawn on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 10 is a. perspective view showing the modified form of split wall engaging means as utilized in the manner shown in Figs.

8 and 9.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character I 1 indicates the opposed walls of a concrete casting form to the exterior faces of which are applied, in suitably spaced apart relation, the uprights or battens l2. Arranged to extend transversely across the battens 12 are 'walers l2, which are usually arranged in pairs, the members of which are spaced apart one above the other. e

The tie means, in one arrangement, as utilized to extend through the form walls and form interior, comprises an interior tie rod section i3 40 having threaded end portions to screw into inward ends of coupling unions l4, and exterior tie rod sections I5 adapted to extend inwardly through the form walls II, the same being threaded at their inner ends to screw into outward ends of said coupling unions I l. The novel form wall engaging means, in one form, comprises a sleeve longitudinally split to provide separable members, which, for convenience of description, will be designated a lower sleeve member IE and an upper sleeve member ll. Each sleeve member has an internal longitudinal channel 26' of semi-circular cross-sectional shape to embrace the exterior tie-rod sections l5, whereby the latter may extend longitudinally or axially through the assembled sleeve. The inner end portion of the lower sleeve member E6 is formed to provide a tapered section l8 which starts flushly from the exterior surface of the same. The inner end portion of the upper sleeve member i2 is also formed to provide a tapered section 19, which, at its juncture with the exterior surface thereof, is eccentric thereto so as to provide a stop shoulder 29 engageable with the inner face of a form wall H. When the sleeve members "5-4? are assembled together, their tapered sections i3l9 provide the sleeve with a conical interior end portion. At its outer extremity, the

sleeve member I6 is provided with a laterally projecting ear or lug 2i, which, if desired, may be indented, as at 22, to receive a fastening nail as and for the purposes subsequently to be explained. In like manner, the sleeve member 57 is also provided with a laterally projecting ear or lug 23.

The form walls H are provided with through openings 24 of a diameter sutficient to receive and fit the circumference of the outer portion of the sleeve as formed by assembling together the members 56 and I? thereof.

In assembling the form retaining means, the interior tie rod section is is connected with the coupling unions l4, and the exterior tie rod sections I5 are then connected with the outer ends of the coupling unions M. This may be done outside the form, whereupon the thus assembled tie rod structure may be inserted transversely through the form by passing the same through the form wall openings 22. Since the diameter of the tie-rod sections l5 are considerably less than the diameters of the form wall openings 24, the former will temporarily rest upon the bottom side of said openings 25, thus leaving sufficient space for the insertion thereover from the exterior side of the walls and through the same of the upper sleeve members i! and their stop shoulders 20, whereby the latter may be positioned to engage or abut the interior faces of said form walls. After the insertion of said upper sleeve members H, the lower sleeve members may be engaged beneath the exterior tie rod sections !5 and then inserted through the form wall openings 24 until registered with the upper sleeve members, thus raising the tie rod structure and said upper sleeve members, whereby the latter are moved laterally in the openings 24 to position the stop shoulders 29 of the latter for engagement with the walls H. In order to hold the lower sleeve members l6 against outward displacement, while finally securing the tie rod structure to the form wall structure, various methods may be practiced. For example, nails 25 may be passed through the indented slots 22 of their ears or lugs 2i and driven into the adjacent form walls, as shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 9. Another method of securing the lower sleeve members it is to provide on its exterior side a flattened face 26 to abut the side of a nail 25 driven obliquely across the same and through the wall opening 24 into the form wall body, thus frictionally wedging the sleeve member against displacing movement, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.. If desired, the side of the lower sleeve member may be provided with spaced preferably diamond shaped nail engaging tits or abutments 21, between which the nail 25 may be obliquely passed and driven into the form wall, as shown in Fig. 5, thereby both binding and positively stopping the sleeve member against outward displacement.

In order to assure the spacing apart of the form walls It at desired predetermined distance, the length of the form penetrating tapered sections i8i9 of the sleeve members ifii'i are predetermined, as are also the lengths of the coupling unions i i. For example, assume that the tapered sections are two inches in length, measured from the stop shoulders 26 to the inner extremities of the sleeves, and that the coupling unions M are also two inches in length, whereby the overall length of these parts, when sleeves and adjacent coupling unions are abutted, is eight inches. If, under these conditions it is desired to space the Walls it one foot apart, for the casting of a wall one foot thick, the length of interior tie rod sec tion E3 to extend between the inner extremities of the coupling unions i l should be four inches. Provision is made for fixing the coupling unions i i to the ends of said interior tie rod section I3 so as to leave such or any other desired distance of extension of the latter between the former. For such purpose each coupling union i4 is provided, adjacent to its inner extremity, with a perforation or opening I i extending through its side wall to communicate with the interior of its threaded bore, whereby, when the ends of the interior tie rod 53 are threaded into the coupling members it for distances sufiicient to provide the desired length of the tie-rod l3 intermediate the coupling members, a punch 28 (see Fig. 7 may be inserted through the opening Hi to upset and jam the tie-rod threads to thereby interlock the tie-rod and coupling unions together against displacement from the desired distanced relation.

The coupling lllllOnS Hi may also be provided with one or more longitudinal slots or openings i l" in their sides, through which the poured concrete may penetrate, to thereby interlock the coupling units M within the concrete mass.

After the tie-rod sections, coupling unions and sleeve members are in place, flanged keeper nuts 29 are engaged on the outer threaded ends of the exterior tie-rod sections I5 to abut the walers 82'. When these keeper nuts 29 are screwed home, they operate to tighten up and press home the form walls H against the stop shoulders 26 of the split sleeves, and the internal extremities of the latter into stopped abutment against the outer ends of the coupling unions Hi, all whereby the walls I I are firmly secured in desired mutually spaced apart relation, against both inward and outward displacement. It may here be pointed out that bolts having heads unitary with their outer ends may be utilized in place of the exterior tie-rod sections i3 having the separable nuts 29, the former arrangement being equivalent in use and mode of operation to the latter.

In the use of the novel holding means above described, after the wet concrete has been cast but before it has fully set to fully hardened condition, the lower sleeve member I5 is loosened and withdrawn. This is done by applying the claw of a hammer or similar tool to the ear or lug 2i, and then utilizing the hammer as a lever fulcrumed against the form wall, whereby retracting pressure is applied to the lower sleeve memberiS, so that the same may be pulled outwardly and away without disturbing the form supporting relation of the tie-rod sections and upper sleeve member. This may be done while the concrete is still green, and before any likelihood of adherence thereto of the sleeve member it occurs. After the concrete has aged sufiiciently to have become fully hardened (which may be several days after pouring), the exterior tie-rod sections i5 may be turned out of the coupling unions,

striped being thus disconnected from theinterior tie-rod section so that the same may be withdrawn. After this the upper sleeve members I! are withdrawn, the operation being efiected by tapping the same to loosen the tapered ends thereof from the concrete mass, so that the same may be first moved laterally in the form wall openings 23, to drop the-stop shoulders 20 from abutting relation to the form walls, and to bring such shoulders in line with the form wall openings so as to be withdrawable outwardly therethrough. After the upper sleeve members I! are withdrawn the form walls 9 i may be stripped from the concrete mass, whereupon theopenings left by the withdrawal of the tapered ends of the sleeve members may be filled in and pointed up with cement, leaving the interior tie-rod I3 and coupling unions M imbedded and fully enclosed in the concrete mass. It will be obvious that the sleeve members and exterior tie-rod sections may be used over and over again, thus salvaging essential parts of the form retaining means, and thereby effecting an economy in form building which is of no inconsiderable advantage.

Referring to Fig. 2, I have shown a case where the interior tie-rod section I3 is omitted, and the exterior tie-rod sections !5 are mutually interconnected to a single coupling union It, upon the ends of which the form interior penetrating end portions of the sleeve members I I 1 abut. Such arrangement will be of advantage in the erection and retention of narrow forms for comparatively thin concrete walls or partitions, such, for example, as a six inch wall or partition. It will be obvious that the holding and spreading effects obtained by this modified arrangement are as positive and of equal advantage to that above de scribed.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive, I have shown therein a somewhat modified arrangement of the form retaining means which nevertheless embodies the general principles of this invention. In this modified arrangement, the tie means is utilized in the form of a continuous single tie-rod 36 adapted topass through the form walls and interior from one side of the form to the other. In such case, tie-rods of very small diameters may be employed if desired. For cooperation with the split sleeve members H5-l1, constituting the form wall engaging means, a spacing tube 3!, of suitable length in conjunction with the lengths of the form interior penetrating end portions of the sleeve members to correspond to the distance of form wall spacing desired to be maintained, is telescopically fitted'over the intermediate portion of the tie-rod 30 to extend between the sleeve members and in abutting relation to the internal ends of the latter. Keeper nuts 29, when applied to the external threaded ends of the tie-rod 39 will bind all the parts in assembled form wall retaining relation, with the same advantages and subject to the same character of assembling and disassembling operations as already above set forth. If desired, the sleeve members i6--il may be provided adjacent to their inner and outer extremities with internal annular shoulders 32, for the purpose of centering the sleeve members concentric to their tierods; or, if desired, the bore channels of said sleeve members may be dimensioned to fit any selected size of tie-rod.

I am aware that various changes, other than those specifically mentioned, could be made in the above described construction and many apparently Widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims; hence it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In concrete form retaining means, alongi tudinally divided form wall engaging element for cooperation with but removably related to form tie means, said element comprising separable sleeve forming members, one of said members having a laterally projecting stop means atits form penetrating end portion, said stop carrying member being capable of insertion through'an opening in a form wall and then adapted to be moved laterally in said opening to bring its stop means into abutting relation to the interior face of said wall, and another member being capable of subsequent insertion through the wall opening thereby to hold the first member in said form Wall engaging relation.

2. In concrete form retaining means, tie means adapted to extend transversely through the form with portions exteriorly projecting through the form walls, longitudinally divided form wall engaging means comprising separable sleeve forming members, one of said members having a laterally projecting stop means at its form penetrating end portion, said stop carrying member being capable of insertion through an opening in a form wall through which the tie means extends and then being adapted to be moved laterally in said opening to bring its stop means into abutting relation to the interior face of said wall, a second member capable of subsequent insertion through said wall opening thereby to hold said first member in said form wall engaging relation, and means associated with the interior portion of said tie means upon which the form penetrating ends of said members abut.

3. A concrete form retaining means as defined in claim 2, wherein the sleeve forming members are provided with draw lugs at their outer end portions and with tapered form penetrating portions at their opposite ends, the draw lug of the second sleeve forming member having a fastening nail passage therethrough.

4. In concrete form retaining means, tie means adapted to extend transversely through the form with portions exteriorly projecting through the form walls, longitudinally divided form wall ongaging means comprising separable sleeve forming members, one of said members having a laterally projecting stop means at its form penetrating end portion, said stop carrying member being capable of insertion through an opening in a form wall through which the tie means extends and then being adapted to be moved laterally in said opening to bring its stop means into abutting relation to the interior face of said wall, a second member capable of subsequent insertion through said wall opening thereby to hold said first member in said form wall engaging relation, said second member having means engageable by a fastening nail driven into the form wall to retain said second member against displacement therefrom, and means associated with the interior portion of said tie means upon which the form penetrating ends of said members abut.

5. In concrete form retaining means, tie means comprising an interior tie-rod section and exterior tie-rod sections, coupling unions for connecting the latter to the former, a split form wall engaging means comprising separable sleeve forming members to embrace said exterior tie-rod sections, one of said members having a laterally projecting stop means at its form penetrating end portion, said stop carrying member being capable of insertion through an opening in a form wall through which an exterior tie-rod section extends and then being adapted to be moved laterally in said opening to dispose its stop means in abutting relation to the interior face of said wall, and a second member capable of subsequent insertion through said wall opening thereby to hold said first member in form wall engaging position, the inwardly extending ends of said members being adapted to abut said coupling unions.

6. A concrete form retaining means as defined in claim 5, wherein said sleeve forming members are provided with draw lugs at their exterior end portions, the draw lug of the second sleeve forming member having a fastening nail passage therethrough.

7. A form wall engaging means for the purposes described comprising a tubular sleeve having tapered portions at one end, said sleeve being longitudinally divided to provide a pair of separable members, and one of said members having a laterally 01f set stop shoulder at the base of its tapered portion.

SAMUEL S. COLT. 

